


never burning out

by darkangel0410



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 03:29:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16966839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkangel0410/pseuds/darkangel0410
Summary: Matt hasn't seen Brady this mad in years.





	never burning out

**Author's Note:**

> This is eventually going to be part of a longer series, but for now enjoy a small look at the Tkachuks in the Supernatural universe.

“Fuck you, Matt,” Brady spits out, anger coloring his words and it occurs to Matt that he hasn’t seen his brother this furious since before he left for college. “You fucking asshole, don’t talk to me about loyalty! Don’t tell me how I should feel about someone whose only loyalties were to a bottle and a memory he loved more than he ever even tried to love his kids.”

“Dad did his best -”

“Dad loved her dead more than he ever did us alive,” Brady tells him, quieter now but no less vehemently for it. “Instead of taking care of us, he dumped us in one motel after another and couldn’t even be assed to make sure we had enough food to eat every day.”

Matt doesn’t say anything, because there’s nothing he can say to change the truth of Brady’s words. And he's so tired of trying to make excuses for their dad. Even when they were still kids Matt had wanted better for Brady, had known he deserved more than what they had.

“His revenge mattered more to him than his kids did and he made sure we knew the next job, the next clue, were more important than our wellbeing. Jesus, Matt, there were times I forgot what he looked like because he was gone so often.”

“I tried my best,” Matt says, trying to keep his voice calm and even when he was exhausted to the bone. “I would have given you my life if it would have made a difference.”

“I know, that's the only thing I was ever sure of,” Brady sounds as tired as Matt feels, like even existing is getting to be too much effort. “You made sure I had food and clothes, that I learned to read and write, how to spell my own name. That I had Christmas and birthday presents.

“You taught me how to fight and shoot, how to protect myself from humans and monsters. You’re the only one who’s ever loved me, Matt, and I hate that Dad made you grow up and take care of both of us because he was too busy to bother, but I’m selfish enough to be glad of it, too, because I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Matt swallows roughly, afraid that if he speaks now everything he’s kept inside will start pouring out of him and this isn’t the time or place for those kinds of confessions. It might never be the right time and Matt’s made his peace with that a long time ago.

“I’m only going to say this once, because we don’t need to turn this into a chick flick moment,” Matt finally tells him when he thinks he can speak without giving too much away; he smiles when Brady smirks at the familiar phrase, said over and over again since they were kids. “You’ve always mattered more to me than anything else, and even if dad had tried to ship us off to one of mom’s cousins or wherever, I wouldn’t have let anyone take you away from me. Because you’re my brother and you’re more important than anyone else, even dad.

“I didn’t give up anything or miss out on shit, ok, so don’t talk like you’re less than me or that it wasn’t worth it to keep you safe, because it was, alright? And it’s not your fault dad kept leaving, so you can forget that bullshit, too. 

“You don’t owe me, Brady,” Matt adds seriously, his voice calm and steady even if he felt like he was going to drop at any second; making Brady understand was more important than sleeping right now. “You’re my _brother_ , not some chump who got dumped on me. You would have done the same for me, bitch, and we both know it.”

“Shut up, jerk,” Brady tells him, finally smiling for the first time in what feels like an eternity to Matt; he punches Matt in the ribs and then slings an arm around his shoulder, the easy camaraderie as familiar to Matt as breathing and as welcome after being gone for three years and change. “Come on, I’ll buy you some pie at the diner we saw a few blocks from here.”

Even exhausted Matt perks up at the idea of pie. “I’m getting a cheeseburger, too,” Matt informs him, ignoring the way Brady rolls his eyes. “And a fuckton of coffee -where’s the keys?” he demands, glaring at Brady when he realizes they’re not in his coat pocket any more.

“I don’t know what to tell you, dude, maybe don’t let people pick your pocket,” Brady grins at him, smug and happy; Matt would do a lot to keep that look on Brady’s face so he just sighs and goes to the passenger door of Baby once they get outside. 

He wouldn’t let just anyone drive her, but Brady’s always been the exception to all of his rules.

Brady gets in and makes a big deal of adjusting the seat and rearview mirror, shit eating grin on his face the whole time.

God, Matt missed him.


End file.
